Remarks by Ambassador Adam Ereli
September 28, 2009 at 9:00am
Gulf Hotel; Manama, Bahrain
Ambassador Adam Ereli delivered opening remarks at a conference that brought Gulf businesswomen and American CEOs together September 28. The conference, the second Corporate Ambassadors program in Bahrain, provided two days of workshops, roundtables, and one-on-one meetings, and was sponsored by the State Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). The participants, who included small delegations of U.S. CEOs and senior executives and businesswomen from the region, discussed government procurement programs, advocating for women-owned businesses, support to small and medium enterprises, and other topics.
Ambassador Remarks
Good Morning,
I would like to thank his Excellency Dr. Hassan Fakhro, Minister of Industry & Commerce, for his participation in this important event and for all the work the Ministry has done to develop women's leadership and participation in business.
I also want to acknowledge Mrs. Afnan Zayani, Mrs. Mona Al Moayyed, and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry for their work with the Bahrain Businesswomen's Society, which is hosting this event in conjunction with the Middle East/North Africa Businesswomen's Network.
The Network is a partnership between local businesswomen's organizations across the Middle East, Vital Voices Global Partnership, and the Middle East Partnership Initiative of the U.S. Department of State. The network facilitates exchanges like this one, with the goal of maximizing opportunities for women as entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Today, studies from organizations around the world are showing what I think many in this room have already recognized: that women are vital to a country's economic progress. No country can hope to realize its full potential unless women are able to fully participate in business and the economy. Time and again, experience illustrates that investing in opportunities for women is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do.
Secretary Clinton has made the full empowerment of women a fundamental pillar of United States foreign policy. One of the goals of the Middle East Partnership Initiative, which is sponsoring this event, is to enhance opportunities for women by helping to develop their marketable skills, gain economic independence, and increase the power of the private sector in building a democratic society.
All of us at the U.S. Embassy in Manama are committed to this goal and among our top priorities in Bahrain is to help provide the women of this country wth the skills and tools needed to maximize their potential.
We are indeed fortunate to have such strong and able partners in Bahrain who share our vision of women's empowerment and who bring a wealth of talent and experience to our common endeavor.
None of this would be possible without the dedication and cooperation that we have been able to develop with our Bahraini partners at the Bahraini Businesswomen's Association and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
Through the Middle East Partnership Initiative and its Corporate Ambassador's program, which has organized today's event, we have established a strong network of leaders, who are working to accelerate economic growth and development not just in Bahrain, but throughout the Middle East. We are building women's capacity on three fronts: Innovation, Knowledge, and Empowerment. Innovation is spurred through on-the-ground training and exchanges aimed at business growth, job creation, and community development. Knowledge is shared by bringing together businesswomen in Bahrain and the U.S. to exchange ideas and to share first-hand assessments of business strategies and practices. And finally, Empowerment is achieved by leveraging the collective energy and experience of businesswomen in the U.S. and the Middle East, MENA so women's leadership in the business world can flourish.
The particular focus of today's event is on small and medium sized companies-a sector critical to women's empowerment-and examining the support services available to them in the U.S. and around the region.
In addition to the Corporate Ambassadors program, MEPI also funds two other programs in Bahrain for businesswomen.
First, is the Women in Technology Program, which strives to expand women's participation in the workforce by providing them with cutting-edge curricula and training opportunities in business planning, professional development, and information technology (IT).
Second, is the Legal and Business Fellowship Program which takes approximately 40 Middle Eastern women from the business and legal professions to the United States. The women participate in a month-long graduate level law or business program followed by a five-month internship at leading U.S. legal or business institutions. The program helps participants grow their existing businesses or legal firms and advocates for an improved investment climate and legal reforms.
Events like this one that bring Americans and Bahrainis together to share their insights and experience are critical to maintaining dynamic growth and economic development. I want to thank the Corporate Ambassadors from Vital Voices: Linda Denny, Geri Swift, and Luz Hopewell for their leadership and participation in this program. Their collective knowledge in the areas of the FTA and SME support programs along with techniques for marketing businesses is invaluable and I know it will be enriched by the contributions of the Bahraini and regional panelists.
We hope that through this program you will gain new contacts and innovative ideas that will strengthen your companies and businesses. More importantly, though, we want to help strengthen your interest in, and commitment to, building your own capacity. To do this, we really need and welcome your ideas and partnership. At the Embassy we have a dedicated team of business professionals whose job is to listen to your suggestions and find creative ways to act on them. If I could ask our Economic Attache, Ben Thomson and our Middle East Partnership Coordinator Angie Thadani to stand up. Please use them. They are eager and enthusiastic about working with you to make your dreams a reality.
And finally, I urge you to support the Bahrain Businesswomen's Society and the MENA Businesswomen's Network. Together, we can ensure that women continue to play a positive role in the future of the region's progress and prosperity. Thank you for your attendance and for providing us the opportunity to participate in this program.